UPSC Engineering Services Examination (ESE / IES) 2027: Complete Notification, Schedule & Guide

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) published the official notification for the Engineering Services Examination (ESE), 2027 under Examination Notice No. 02/2027-ENGG. on September 16, 2026.

The Engineering Services Examination (popularly known as the Indian Engineering Services / IES) is the premier competitive gateway for recruiting talented engineers into Group 'A' and Group 'B' technical cadre services of the Government of India.

The Commission has announced approximately 480 vacancies across four core engineering disciplines. The online application window concluded on October 6, 2026 at 18:00 hrs, followed by a one-week application correction window. The Stage-I Preliminary Examination is officially scheduled for Sunday, January 31, 2027, and the Stage-II Main Examination will be conducted on June 18, 2027.

Tracking Ongoing 2026 Results? If you are searching for the interview schedule, call letters, or final results of the previous cycle, visit the UPSC ESE 2026 Interview Stage Guide (Notice No. 01/2026-ENGG.).

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1. Executive Summary & Official Recruitment Facts

Key Parameter	Official Specification (Notice No. 02/2027-ENGG.)
Exam Identity	Engineering Services Examination, 2027 (UPSC ESE / IES 2027)
Conducting Authority	Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Official Notice Number	EXAMINATION NOTICE NO. 02/2027-ENGG.
Notification Release Date	September 16, 2026
Online Application Window	September 16, 2026 to October 6, 2026 (18:00 Hrs)
Application Modification Window	October 7, 2026 to October 13, 2026
Total Approximate Vacancies	Approximately 480 Posts
Stage-I Preliminary Exam Date	January 31, 2027 (Sunday)
Stage-II Main Exam Date	June 18, 2027
Current Operational Status	application_closed (Exam Scheduled for 31 Jan 2027)
Official Portals	upsc.gov.in & upsconline.nic.in

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2. Official Calendar & Key Examination Milestones

Candidates preparing for the 2027 cycle must orient their preparation toward the confirmed examination schedule:

Timeline Event	Scheduled Date / Window	Stage Details & Status
Official Notification Issued	September 16, 2026	Published on upsc.gov.in (Notice 02/2027-ENGG.)
Online Form Submission Closure	October 6, 2026 (06:00 PM)	Applications officially closed
OTR / Application Correction Window	October 7 to October 13, 2026	7-day correction facility for registered candidates
Stage-I e-Admit Card Generation	Early January 2027	Approx. 3 weeks prior to Preliminary Examination
Stage-I Preliminary Examination	January 31, 2027 (Sunday)	Objective OMR Exam (Paper I: 200M + Paper II: 300M)
Prelims Result Declaration	Late February / Early March 2027	Shortlisted candidates qualify for Stage-II Mains
Stage-II Main (Conventional) Exam	June 18, 2027	Subjective Engineering Papers (300M + 300M)
Mains Result & DAF-I Window	July / August 2027	Detailed Application Form submission
Stage-III Personality Test (Interviews)	Autumn 2027	In-person board at UPSC Dholpur House, New Delhi
Final Merit List & Cadre Allotment	Late 2027	Based on cumulative 1,300 aggregate score

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3. Engineering Disciplines & Participating Government Services

Recruitment under UPSC ESE 2027 covers four distinct engineering streams. Approximately 480 officers will be allocated across central technical cadres:

1. Civil Engineering

• Central Engineering Service (Roads): Group 'A' service under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).
• Central Engineering Service (CPWD): Infrastructure development under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
• Central Water Engineering Service: Group 'A' service under the Ministry of Jal Shakti (Central Water Commission).
• Indian Defence Service of Engineers (IDSE): Military Engineer Services (MES) under the Ministry of Defence.
• Border Roads Engineering Service (BRES): Group 'A' cadre constructing strategic border roads and infrastructure.
• Survey of India: Group 'A' service under the Ministry of Science and Technology.

2. Mechanical Engineering

• Indian Naval Armament Service (INAS): Technical cadre under the Ministry of Defence (Department of Defence Production).
• Indian Naval Material Organisation (INMO): Naval logistics and dockyard technical management.
• Central Power Engineering Service (CPES): Ministry of Power (Central Electricity Authority).
• Assistant Executive Engineer in Geological Survey of India (GSI): Engineering division under Ministry of Mines.
• Indian Defence Service of Engineers (IDSE) & BRES: Mechanical cadre wings in MES and Border Roads.

3. Electrical Engineering

• Central Power Engineering Service (CPES): Electrical engineering cadre under Ministry of Power.
• Indian Naval Armament Service (INAS): Electrical division in Naval Armament depots and testing ranges.
• Central Electrical & Mechanical Engineering Service (CPWD): Electrical systems in central public buildings.
• Military Engineer Services (IDSE): Electrical supply networks, substations, and military installations.
• Indian Defence Service of Engineers (IDSE): Electrical engineering wing in defence infrastructure.

4. Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering

• Indian Radio Regulatory Service (IRRS): Spectrum management and wireless monitoring under Ministry of Communications.
• Central Power Engineering Service (CPES): Telecommunication and SCADA systems in power grids.
• Indian Naval Armament Service (INAS): Electronics, radar, sonar, and guidance systems in Naval Armament.
• Junior Telecom Officer (JTO) / Central Engineering Services: Special technical formations under central ministries.

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4. Eligibility Mandates & Benchmark Requirements

Every aspirant must satisfy all academic, age, and nationality mandates as on the prescribed cutoff date:

A. Academic Qualifications

• A candidate must hold a Degree in Engineering (B.E. / B.Tech) in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, or Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering from a recognized University or Institute incorporated by an Act of Parliament.
• Equivalent Qualifications:
  • Passed Sections A and B of the Institution Examinations of the Institution of Engineers (India).
  • Passed Graduate Membership Examination of the Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers (India).
  • Passed Associate Membership Examination Parts II and III/Sections A and B of the Aeronautical Society of India.
• Appearing Candidates: Candidates who are appearing at an examination the passing of which would render them educationally qualified are eligible for provisional admission to the Preliminary Examination.

B. Age Limits & Crucial Date of Reckoning

• A candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 30 years on January 1, 2027.
• Date of Birth Bracket: The candidate must have been born not earlier than January 2, 1997 and not later than January 1, 2006.

C. Permissible Age Relaxations

• Central Government Servants: Relaxable up to 35 years for civilian central government employees serving in notified departments.
• SC / ST Candidates: Upper age relaxation of up to 5 years (Max 35 years).
• OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) Candidates: Upper age relaxation of up to 3 years (Max 33 years).
• Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD): Upper age relaxation of up to 10 years (cumulative with SC/ST/OBC where applicable).
• Ex-Servicemen: As per statutory Central Government orders.

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5. Three-Stage Examination Architecture (1,300 Marks Total)

The UPSC Engineering Services Examination evaluates candidates across three rigorous stages:

[Stage-I: Preliminary Examination] (Objective OMR, 500 Marks)
                 │ (Marks Counted for Final Merit)
                 ▼
[Stage-II: Main Examination] (Conventional Descriptive, 600 Marks)
                 │ (Marks Counted for Final Merit)
                 ▼
[Stage-III: Personality Test] (Board Interview, 200 Marks)
                 │ (Marks Counted for Final Merit)
                 ▼
[Final Order of Merit & Cadre Allotment] (Out of 1,300 Marks Total)

Stage-I: Preliminary Examination (January 31, 2027 — 500 Marks)

The Preliminary Examination serves as a competitive filter; crucially, its marks are counted in the final order of merit:

Paper Code	Paper Title	Question Format	Duration	Maximum Marks
Paper-I	General Studies and Engineering Aptitude	100 Objective MCQs	2 Hours	200 Marks
Paper-II	Engineering Discipline (Civil / Mech / Elec / E&T)	150 Objective MCQs	3 Hours	300 Marks
Total	Stage-I Aggregate Score	250 Objective MCQs	5 Hours	500 Marks

Negative Marking Rule: For each incorrect answer, one-third (⅓) of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted (0.66 marks deducted per incorrect answer in both Paper-I and Paper-II).

Stage-II: Main Examination (June 18, 2027 — 600 Marks)

Candidates qualifying the Preliminary Examination are summoned for the descriptive technical Main examination:

Paper Code	Paper Title	Examination Format	Duration	Maximum Marks
Paper-I	Discipline-Specific Technical Paper - I	Conventional Descriptive	3 Hours	300 Marks
Paper-II	Discipline-Specific Technical Paper - II	Conventional Descriptive	3 Hours	300 Marks
Total	Stage-II Written Aggregate Score	Subjective Technical Papers	6 Hours	600 Marks

Stage-III: Personality Test / Interview (200 Marks)

Candidates who achieve the combined qualifying standard in Stage-I and Stage-II are invited to appear before the UPSC Board at Dholpur House, New Delhi for the 200-mark Personality Test.

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6. Comprehensive Syllabus Breakdown

Common Paper-I: General Studies & Engineering Aptitude (200 Marks)

Paper-I is common across all four engineering disciplines and tests foundational knowledge outside core technical domains:

1. Current Affairs: National and international socio-economic and technological developments.
2. Engineering Aptitude & Reasoning: Logical reasoning, spatial visualization, and analytical ability.
3. Engineering Mathematics & Numerical Analysis: Linear algebra, calculus, ordinary and partial differential equations, probability and statistics.
4. General Principles of Design, Drawing & Importance of Safety: Safety codes, ergonomics, and structural design fundamentals.
5. Standards and Quality Practices: Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), ISO standards, Total Quality Management (TQM), Six Sigma.
6. Basics of Energy & Environment: Renewable energy sources, greenhouse gases, climate change, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
7. Basics of Project Management: Project life cycle, PERT/CPM scheduling, cost estimation, and risk analysis.
8. Basics of Material Science & Engineering: Properties of metals, ceramics, polymers, semiconductors, and composites.
9. Information & Communication Technologies (ICT): Networking, cloud computing, cybersecurity basics, and e-governance.
10. Ethics and Values in Engineering Profession: Professional codes of conduct, conflict of interest, intellectual property rights, and public safety obligations.

Discipline Technical Papers (Papers I & II)

Civil Engineering

• Paper I: Building Materials, Solid Mechanics, Structural Analysis, Design of Steel Structures, Design of Concrete & Masonry Structures, Construction Practice, Planning & Management.
• Paper II: Flow of Fluids, Hydraulic Machines & Hydro Power, Hydrology & Water Resources Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Geo-technical Engineering & Foundation Engineering, Surveying & Geology, Transportation Engineering (Highway, Railway, Airport & Harbour).

Mechanical Engineering

• Paper I: Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechanics, Heat Transfer, Refrigeration & Air Conditioning, Turbomachinery, Internal Combustion Engines, Power Plant Engineering.
• Paper II: Engineering Mechanics, Mechanics of Materials, Theory of Machines & Mechanisms, Design of Machine Elements, Manufacturing Processes, Industrial & Maintenance Engineering, Mechatronics & Robotics.

Electrical Engineering

• Paper I: Electromagnetic Theory, Electrical Materials, Electrical Circuits & Networks, Measurements & Instrumentation, Control Systems, Digital & Analog Electronics.
• Paper II: Electrical Machines (Transformers, Induction, Synchronous, DC), Power Systems (Generation, Transmission, Protection, Load Flow), Power Electronics & Drives, Microprocessors, Signals & Systems.

Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering

• Paper I: Basic Electronics Engineering, Electronic Devices & Circuits, Materials & Components, Physical Electronics, Network Theory, Electromagnetic Theory, Electronic Measurements & Instrumentation.
• Paper II: Analog & Digital Communication Systems, Control Systems, Computer Organization & Architecture, Microwave & Satellite Engineering, Optical Communication, VLSI Design, Advanced Signal Processing.

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7. Strategic Preparation Plan for Stage-I Prelims (January 31, 2027)

With the Preliminary examination scheduled for January 31, 2027, candidates should follow a structured timeline:

1. Phase 1: Concept Solidification & Syllabus Mapping (October – November 2026):
   • Cover all core engineering subjects in Paper-II with standard standard textbooks and reference materials.
   • Allocate 2 hours daily to General Studies Paper-I topics (Project Management, Engineering Ethics, and Material Science).
2. Phase 2: Previous Years' Question (PYQ) Mastery (December 2026):
   • Solve at least 15 years of UPSC ESE Prelims question papers discipline-wise.
   • Analyze recurring formulas, conceptual traps, and high-frequency problem types.
3. Phase 3: High-Frequency Mock Tests & Time Management (January 2027):
   • Take 8–10 full-length simulated mock tests strictly within the official hours (Paper-I: 2 hours, Paper-II: 3 hours).
   • Control negative marking by practicing selective skipping of high-risk questions to preserve the 0.66 penalty margin.

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8. Official Resources & Verified Links

Resource / Portal	Official Direct Access Link
Union Public Service Commission (Official Portal)	upsc.gov.in
UPSC Online Applications (OTR Portal)	upsconline.nic.in
Official Examination Notice (02/2027-ENGG.)	UPSC ESE 2027 Notification
Revised Syllabus & Examination Scheme	UPSC Revised Syllabus
Previous Question Papers Archive	UPSC Question Papers Archive
UPSC ESE 2026 Ongoing Cycle Guide	UPSC ESE 2026 Interview Stage Guide

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9. Frequently Asked Questions (English & हिन्दी)

Q1. What is the official notification notice number for UPSC ESE 2027?

The official UPSC notification was published under Examination Notice No. 02/2027-ENGG. on September 16, 2026 on upsc.gov.in.

Q2. When will the UPSC ESE 2027 Preliminary Examination be held?

The Stage-I Preliminary Examination is scheduled for Sunday, January 31, 2027.

Q3. How many vacancies are announced for ESE 2027?

UPSC has announced approximately 480 vacancies across Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, and Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering disciplines.

Q4. यूपीएससी ईएसई 2027 प्रारंभिक परीक्षा की तारीख क्या है?

संघ लोक सेवा आयोग (UPSC) द्वारा इंजीनियरिंग सेवा (प्रारंभिक) परीक्षा 2027 का आयोजन 31 जनवरी 2027 (रविवार) को किया जाएगा।

Q5. क्या ईएसई 2027 में आयु सीमा की गणना किस तारीख से की जाएगी?

आयु सीमा की गणना 1 जनवरी 2027 के आधार पर की जाएगी। उम्मीदवार की आयु 21 से 30 वर्ष के बीच (जन्म 2 जनवरी 1997 से 1 जनवरी 2006 के बीच) होनी चाहिए। आरक्षित वर्गों को नियमानुसार आयु सीमा में छूट प्राप्त है।

Q6. यूपीएससी ईएसई 2027 की मुख्य परीक्षा (Mains) कब होगी?

स्टेज-2 मुख्य (परंपरागत विवरणात्मक) परीक्षा का आयोजन 18 जून 2027 को निर्धारित किया गया है।